Decomposition, Understanding, and Reconstruction
by The-Missing-Paige
Summary: Edward Elric, no longer a State Alchemist, is engaged to Winry Rockbell. General Roy Mustang, now working in the East to help revive Ishbal, is still the womanizer he always has been. But what happens when Winry meets a handsome automail mechanic, and Roy realizes he is bored with women?
1. Chapter 1

Edward Elric, now just shy of 20 years of age, was heading home. _Finally_. After two solid years of drifting around the country of Amestris, his wanderlust faded. For the time being. Now, he would go back to Resembool, marry Winry (who had been surprisingly patient with him during his time away), and relax a bit before resuming his travels, if he chose to do so.

After two years of having no plan except to keep moving, having his immediate future be so grounded felt distinctly odd.

Ed was extremely excited to go back to Resmbool. It had been ages since he had seen his fiancée, and he in fact intended to surprise her with his arrival. Edward could only hope that she had gotten rid of her habit of hitting him over the head with a wrench whenever he visited…

* * *

Before heading up the winding road to Winry's house, Edward decided to stop by the cemetery. He spent a short time by his mother's grave, and his father's, before settling in front of one he had not seen before.

Granny Pinako's.

Ed began to speak, his soft words carrying in the breeze. "I never actually thought you would die…this is the part where I should call you an old hag, but I won't…it seems disrespectful since this is the first time I've visited you. I hope you're not mad about that; Winry insisted that I not come home, seeing as she wasn't planning a big funeral. She said I could come by whenever I was around, and here I am…"

After a while, he turned around. Pinako had died not long after he left Resembool, and while Edward felt a weight lift from his shoulders by paying his respects, his grief had long since subsided to a dull ache.

Never one to be melancholy for long, a smile grew on Ed's face as Winry's house came into view. He ran the last few steps up to the door, and knocked.

"Just a minute!"

That was not Winry's voice. In fact, it wasn't even female. Edward felt a strange sense of foreboding as the door began to open. "Hey, what can I do for you?"

The man standing before Ed was not overly muscular, but extremely tall. His auburn hair was cropped short, and his brown eyes were unreadable. There were oil stains all over his shirt, and a dirty cloth was tucked into his waistband.

Edward's nervousness subsided; Winry must have found a partner for her automail shop.

Irritated at having to look up at the man (he never got over being shorter than everyone else for much of his life, though he had grown substantially once he turned 16), Edward responded. "I'm looking for Winry Rockbell?"

As if summoned by his inquiry, Winry's voice floated out from the back of the house. "Kurt! Who's there?"

Not taking his eyes off Edward, this "Kurt" shouted back. "Some guy, blonde hair in a ponytail, golden eyes, shorter than me, says he knows you?"

Instead of the squeal of recognition he expected to hear, along with the tapping of feet rushing to the door, Ed made out the sound of a muffled, "Shit!" followed by what he presumed to be more expletives.

What the hell?

Deciding he had been polite enough, Edward pushed Kurt aside—this was his _home_ dammit—and found Winry in her workshop.

Kurt followed him, seeming unperturbed by his forced entry, and watched from a doorway as he questioned Winry.

"What, not happy to see me?"

"Look, okay, sit down Edward…"

Ed did as he was bid, crossing his arms and scowling. "I don't know how to say this, Edward, but…well I guess I should first say our engagement is off. And…I'm marrying Kurt."

Edward was usually very vocal, but in this instance, he found himself shocked thoroughly into silence. Winry fiddled nervously with her shirt, but her eyes were determined. She wasn't kidding.

Finally, he managed to choke out a response. "What, you couldn't have fucking told me before I came all the way back?"

At this, his ex-fiancée's demeanor turned toward an all-too-familiar irritation. "You say that like I had a way to contact you! I've been pretty much alone for _two years_, you hardly ever called or wrote, and almost never had a stable address or phone number. How the hell was I supposed to get a hold of you? Would it have killed _you_ to visit every once in a while? Idiot!"

Edward stood, his briefcase knocking over a nearby stool. "It's not like you seemed to want me here, even when I proposed you were more than happy to let me go weren't you? You never said you wanted me to come back, hell, you even told me not to come to Granny's _funeral_!"

"Did I have to spell it out for you? You'd think someone so smart could figure out that I was lonely without me having to say it! It was horrible here, and then Kurt came along, and he actually _listened _to me! Plus he's an automail mechanic! How could I not fall in love with him? _How was I supposed to stay in love with you if you were never around_!?"

This time, Ed's response was calm, even hurt. "I managed to still love you, even though I never saw you."

"Never more than traveling though. You never loved me more than whatever knowledge you thought you might find."

Kurt stepped into this tense moment. "Look, I think you need to go."

"Are you fucking kidding me!? You're the one who needs to go, asshole, you've got no right to Winry—"

"I'm not property, Edward! You can't claim me! And I'm not going to change my mind about Kurt."

He could see that clearly. Ed was about to comment on how they couldn't very well kick him out of his own house—until he realized this wasn't his house anymore.

Without another word, and sparing a moment only to flip Kurt off, Edward left the Rockbell residence for the last time, to the sound of Winry berating him for his behavior.

Bossy to the end.

Pausing only a moment to think, Ed headed back to the train station, downtrodden and angry. He might as well go visit his friends in Central while he was semi-close. Besides, he didn't have anywhere else to go.

* * *

Roy Mustang was in Central to report his progress to Fuhrer Grumman. He had arrived early, in the hopes of enjoying himself a bit. After all, he had been working hard the past few years, and at this point the Ishbalans were doing well. The General deserved some down time.

Ever the womanizer, Roy had been looking for a girl to spend his time with. Yet it seemed almost as though he had seen—and been with—every girl in Central. He knew this wasn't the case, and in fact saw many new faces; but they were all the same type.

Every last one of them.

Eventually, though, Roy found a brunette who seemed nice—and maybe different—enough, and he took her to dinner (albeit, at a fairly cheap venue; two years had not loosened Roy's grip on his wallet). And after that, he went, inevitably, over to her house.

* * *

Roy found himself above the same brunette, not much later, wrapped in the sheets of her bed. She was panting, already a mess though they had barely begun, and he…

Well, he was already wondering when it would be over.

There wasn't anything wrong with the girl, per say. Roy simply found himself bored. He had done this a million times, or at least it felt like it, and he wasn't excited over the prospect of repeating the same steps again.

After a moment more of thought, the General apologized profusely, before getting up and redressing himself. All the while, the girl protested, not stopping until Roy closed the door to her bedroom and left the flat.

Walking the streets of Central again now, Roy was disappointed. It was impossibly depressing for someone as young as him to no longer be excited at the prospect of _sex_.

Then an idea came to him. It was easily the most insane thought that had ever popped into his head. But Roy was never one to back down from the possibility of a night of fun, and if this helped him do so, he would gladly take the chance.

Maybe he needed something other than a woman.


	2. Chapter 2

Upon arriving at the train station in Central, Edward found himself in no better a mood than when he left Resembool. In fact, he was certain he felt worst. Betrayal, anger, sadness…each filled him more and more with every step. But the worst part was how _weak_ Ed felt. He had given Winry his heart, only to have it shoved back at him, in front of the person responsible for making her change her mind.

Scowling, Edward tried to rid himself of these thoughts for long enough to find a place to stay. Where was a decently priced hotel? Previously Ed had not worried about expense, having a steady and hefty income as a State Alchemist, but now he was more cautious with his funds.

It was in the midst of this contemplation that he heard someone calling his name. Or rather, his erstwhile title.

* * *

Roy was walking past the train station, lost in thought at his revelation, when he noticed a familiar shock of golden-blonde hair. Performing a rather comical double take, the General took in the hair (pulled back as always), the eyes, and the irritation on his face.

He couldn't help a slight grin, and, unthinkingly, he shouted, "Fullmetal!"

* * *

Of course it was the General. It couldn't be someone who would improve Edward's mood, oh no. It had to be this bastard.

_But, _Ed thought wryly, _if anyone knows where to find a cheap hotel around here it's Mustang_.

Said man was walking over to him. As he approached, Edward remarked. "You know that I no longer posses that title, General."

Mustang waved him off. "Oh, come on. Fuhrer Grumman expressly forbid the title from being reused; it's yours and only yours. Besides, just because we haven't been in touch for years doesn't mean I'm suddenly going to drop the formalities, especially when they irritate you so much."

Indeed, Edward was fairly sure his eye was twitching. He _definitely_ didn't need this crap right now. "What do you want, anyway?"

Sighing, the General replied. "You're not my subordinate anymore, Fullmetal. It's not my job to make your life completely miserable anymore. Can't we be civil?"

"Look, all I want right now is a cheap hotel and someone to sneak me a drink."

Mustang was rather taken aback. "There's a place simply called 'The Motel' just around the corner," he said immediately, gesturing in the right direction, "but why a drink?"

Ed's frown deepened. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Shit happens. Don't worry about it. Thanks for the info."

He began to turn away, but the General caught his arm. "Hey, really, even you usually aren't this irritated. Or if you are, you're screaming at me by now, not putting up this shifty bullshit. What's up?"

"You know, I could probably convince someone here that you are assaulting me."

Mustang, not letting go of the younger man, thought for a moment. "If I get you a drink, will you tell me?"

Edward considered this proposition. He wasn't keen on the idea of spilling his guts to _Mustang_ of all people, but he could actually be the best candidate for the job. It wasn't as though he would try to make him feel better, and besides, telling him all about his woes was probably the only thing that would get the General off of Ed's back.

Plus he _really_ needed a drink, dammit.

"Fine."

"Excellent."

* * *

A half hour or so later, Edward found himself sitting in his shabby (though admittedly cheap) hotel room, accepting a very gratifying drink from Mustang and trying not to think about what had probably happened the last time the bastard was in one of these rooms. Ugh.

Said man plopped down in the seat across from Ed, already raising his own beverage to his mouth. "So, talk."

"It's Winry."

Rolling his eyes, Mustang gestured for Edward to take a sip before speaking. "Care to elaborate?"

Scowling for the umpteenth time that day, Ed took a gulp. Satisfying. "I…proposed to her a couple years ago."

"And then began to travel and discovered you would not be satisfied with just her and now you need to break it off?"

"Fuck off! Sick bastard. I'm not you, okay? That's _not_ the issue."

Mustang looked smug, and Edward fought the urge to get violent. He continued. "While I was gone, _she_ found someone else. He's living with her now, they are planning on getting married, and I was just kicked out of my own home. I mean, it's always been Winry's house, but up until now it was my home as well…" Edward trailed off, surprised that he had been so open with the General. Maybe the drink hadn't been such a good idea. It certainly wasn't making him feel any better about his present situation.

Shit.

* * *

Though the once-alchemist had seemed perturbed at the train station, Roy had not realized he was so deeply wounded; he had assumed the boy—more of a man now—had just been characteristically touchy.

And it wasn't as though he knew what to say to him; Roy had never proposed to anyone, never felt like settling down. The General had hardly ever even been turned down by a woman, and even when the rarity did occur, it wasn't as though he was attached enough to be upset about it.

Roy thought for a moment before responding. "Looking at it objectively, I have to say I'm sorry for your pain, Fullmetal. But it's probably for the best that this happened now, rather than you having to go through difficulties while married to her. I hear that is a much more difficult thing to deal with."

"Wow," he groaned. "That's really the best you can do to cheer me up? I guess considering your limited knowledge of serious relationships it could be worse, but _damn_."

Roy plowed on, not fully knowing where his words were coming from. "The more pressing issue, really, is where you intend to stay. If you wish, you could come back to the east with me. I have to stay here for two more days, to report to Fuhrer Grumman, then it's back in action."

Where had that come from? He must be getting nostalgic. Regardless, Roy found himself actually hoping Fullmetal would accept the offer. He could always put him to work.

* * *

Edward was astonished. While the two of them didn't _actually_ hate each other, he and the General definitely didn't get along. Yet this seemed to be a sincere offer.

"Alright…" he said slowly. "I'll come along."

If for no other reason than the fact that Ed had nowhere else to go.


	3. Chapter 3

During the two days preceding his departure eastward, Edward, on many occasions, considered backing out. After all, he was going to be moving in with _Mustang_. He could think of plenty of reasons to change his mind and cancel the arrangement.

But he didn't, and so on the third day he found himself boarding a train with the General, suitcase in hand.

* * *

Mustang's apartment was much smaller than Ed had imagined, but he could tell it would be large enough to accommodate the both of them. After throwing his own luggage into his room, the General, showed Edward across the hall to his room. It was bland, but that was to be expected; up until now, it had served as a guest room. It was also full, the bed, desk, and dresser taking up almost the entire space.

The General allowed Edward to place his suitcase on the bed, and then whisked him promptly to the living room.

"Now, this is going to sound stupid, but since we're going to be living together I wanted to put up some ground rules."

Rolling his eyes, Ed agreed. Actually, it wasn't that bad an idea.

"Number one, drop the formalities. Call me Roy. Like I said, I'm not your superior. And I'll cease to call you Fullmetal."

Edward nodded. While it was going to be tough to get used to calling Mustang _Roy_, he was glad he wouldn't have to answer to his former title.

"Second, don't destroy anything. I know you used to have a problem controlling yourself—you remember the missions you went on."

"Stuff it, _Roy_. I'm not going to wreck the place."

Roy held up his hands. "I just wanted to put that out there. Next, food; I tend to cook for myself—it's cheaper—"

"No surprise there."

"—and I can cook for you as well if you want."

This was actually more than Ed had hoped for; he had assumed he would be fending for himself when it came to sustenance. "That'd be great, thanks."

Roy gave a small smile. "Lastly, I would hope you'd be willing to help out with the Ishbalans. We can always use another person for building, but I think you would actually be better as a go-between of sorts. You're good with people, so they should trust you, and you can keep the progress rolling as far as letting go of the past."

"Well, I doubt they can just _let go_ of it, but I get what you mean. I'd be glad to help." And that was true. Edward enjoyed people, and if simply being a generally friendly person was supposed to be his job here, that was perfectly fine by him.

"Excellent. I have to go check in with the team now—if you'd like, you can come along. I'm sure they'd love to see you again."

Ed's eyes brightened. "Awesome!" Just as quickly as his exuberance had shown itself, it hid again. "But, there is one rule I have for you."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "As the one moving in with me, are you even in a position to be making rules?"

"Ugh, fine, a request then! It shouldn't be hard, even you have some common decency."

"I'm listening."

This man could be so _irritating_. Ed had no idea how he would handle living with him. "It's all I'm asking, and it's perfectly reasonable…" Edward's face began to redden. Shit. "You're room is right down the hall from mine and I would _really_ appreciate it if you didn't bring your women _here_. I don't need to hear…that."

After standing stunned for a moment—really, _that's _what he was worried about—Roy laughed. "I can agree to that, Fu—Edward. Though I have to say I'm surprised that you're so bothered by it; I mean, you have experience, right? It's not a taboo."

At this point flushing furiously, Edward pulled off his overcoat and hung it on a peg—it was much hotter here in the east than he was used to—and muttered, "Let's just go see everyone."

Roy was laughing until they reached headquarters.

* * *

As expected, the entire team—Hawkeye, Falman, Breda, Fuery, and Havoc—was delighted to see Edward again, and in the end they all resolved to go get something to eat together. They were also shocked to hear that Ed was moving in with the General; the two certainly weren't the best of friends.

Though he didn't hear anything blatant, Edward was sure Havoc was starting a betting pool on what would happen with him living with Roy.

All in all, it was a pleasant day for Ed, and he found himself surprisingly content as he fell into bed that night. Really, for someone who had, within the past week, lost his fiancée and home, Edward was very happy indeed.

* * *

As Ed fell asleep, Roy softly closed the front door and began walking down the street. In keeping with his new roommate's request, he was going out tonight, rather than bring someone _in._

It wouldn't be a woman though.

* * *

It had taken Roy much longer to find a man than it usually took him to find a partner for the night, probably because he had no idea how to go about locating a _gay_ man. Eventually he had been forced to wander into the seedier areas of the town—lucky for him, the place was big enough to even have a shady portion. And after a short walk, a man, attractive enough with brown hair and sneaky blue eyes, whistled at him.

Now, Roy found himself above the man in bed—very much a déjà vu moment from a few days ago with his last woman. It had been a little awkward, this being his first time, but he had managed; Roy had even convinced the man (he had forgotten his name) to allow him to top. Roy wasn't quite adventurous enough to bottom.

Roy was still panting. The experience had been amazing, literally the best thing he had ever felt. With it, any remaining desire to have sex with a woman again vanished entirely.

_What does this mean for me?_ Roy wondered, as he collected himself and began putting his clothes back on. _Could I really be…gay?_

After what had just happened, he had to seriously consider the possibility. Given how fantastic it felt, being with a man, Roy was less upset about the fact that he was probably a homosexual than he was about the fact that he had wasted so many years not trying it.

Walking down the road, back to his apartment, Roy found himself grinning. _Well, Edward, _he thought, _you don't have to worry about me bringing home any women_.


	4. Chapter 4

Blinking in the early morning sun coming through his open window, Edward Elric yawned, stretching his arms high above his head. He couldn't help but smile; though it had been several years since he got his arm back, Ed still reveled in the feeling of muscle moving in _both_ arms.

He yawned again, still lying in bed. It was his day off, so there was no need for Edward to bother with forcing himself awake. Instead, the blonde allowed himself to doze a bit. Inevitably, his thoughts wandered to the past month and a half he had spent in the east, living with Roy Mustang.

Ed had been rather wary at first, but Roy had been a surprisingly excellent person to live with. For starters, he was actually a pretty good cook (though he was overly smug about that when Edward told him so). And though that was definitely something that kept his once-subordinate living with him, the main reason Ed had stayed was because Roy had been so…nice.

He had obeyed Edward's rule faithfully, and although it was still a little awkward to hear him leaving every other night or so, and knowing what he was going to do, Ed greatly appreciated Roy taking his business elsewhere. That was unexpected; he had though the General would have brought at least one girl home just to annoy him.

Furthermore, Roy had given Edward plenty of space. The first few weeks, he was understandably touchy and more than a little sullen; Ed simply hadn't been able to stop thinking about Winry. Even as his lingering feelings of attachment disappeared, shame at having been replaced remained. Roy hadn't pried, and hadn't even teased the blonde as much as he would have normally.

In fact the only time his roommate spoke to Edward about his ex-fiancée was after he had come home one night, late, and Ed was still up, sitting on the couch, crying.

_That _had been embarrassing.

* * *

_"Ed?" Roy was shocked. He knew the poor guy was hurting, but he never expected to see someone as strong as Edward Elric actually sobbing. The sight was beyond depressing. _

_Edward's head snapped up, and he hastily wiped his eyes, trying to make it look as though nothing had happened, despite the efforts being completely pointless. "Huh? You're home earlier than usual…"_

_"Ed, what's wrong?" Roy sat down next to the blonde, wondering what he should do._

_Edward sighed. "I guess there's no point in hiding it, is there?" He hung his head in his hands, almost laughing as he felt Roy hesitate before patting his back. "I don't even miss her that much anymore, which is sad in itself. I suppose it means we never had a strong relationship to begin with. Now I just…feel so stupid. Pathetic. I'm supposed to be this big hero! I helped save the country…but I can't even compete with a stupid, pretty-boy mechanic."_

_Feeling relieved that Ed's problem was self-worth, which Roy could relate to much more easily than problems with an honest relationship, he spoke. "Ed, this is probably going to sound weird coming from me, and you can take it as you will but…she's the one who lost something."_

_Edward slowly brought his head up, staring at Roy incredulously._

_"I'm serious. For one thing, you're plenty attractive." Ed's eyebrows rose, but Roy didn't know how else to put it, especially since he had found himself attracted to men. Edward really was handsome. "So don't go down that road. As for being a hero? That just shows you how stupid she was being, Ed. You've done so much, and you're a great person. That girl literally had it all, and she tossed it away. Don't feel worse about yourself because of her. Just realize that she made a really dumb decision."_

_Edward was struck with gratitude. For Roy of all people to say something like that…he wouldn't lie. Ed stood up, clapping his roommate on the shoulder. "Thank you._

* * *

Yeah, it had been quite the scene, but Ed had felt much better about his situation since that day. Plus, it was really gratifying to see how much Roy really cared; the blonde didn't know he had it in him.

As such, Edward had taken to trying to be more of a help around the house. He was slowly learning to cook (courtesy of Roy), and so every once in a while he made dinner, saving his roommate the trouble. He was also paying for part of the rent, with the salary he received from helping with the Ishbalans. Most of all, though, Edward had taken up cleaning duty.

It definitely wasn't his favorite thing to do, and sometimes it was downright unpleasant, but Ed figured it was the least he could do for the man who gave him a home again.

And, with it being his day off, Edward really had to get caught up on cleaning. He hadn't done the floors in a while…

Sighing, he got up off the bed. Roy worked today—he still hardly ever took a day off work—and so Ed had the house to himself, no one in the way, which made things all the more convenient.

He got himself some toast, before starting in on the dishes. They were easily the blonde's least favorite chore. After all, who likes dealing with leftover bits of food? But by doing them first, Edward got them out of the way.

Next he tackled the floors. They weren't too big a chore; though it took a while to complete the process, Ed didn't have to think much about what he was doing.

As he approached the hallway, Edward considered Roy's room. The man had given him permission to clean in there, but he was always apprehensive. Partially because it felt like he was invading, and partially because Ed was afraid of what he might find in there.

But it must be filthy by now.

Pushing the door open unceremoniously, Edward took a look around and realized he was right. Dirty clothes littered the floor, the remains of a sandwich were resting on the nightstand, and he could actually see the dust on the dresser.

Ed groaned. This was going to take forever.

He picked up the sandwich, tossing it out before going back for the shirts. Being the cleaner of the household, he also got laundry duty, which was hard to get used to. Handling Roy's dirty trousers made him feel distinctly maid-like. Or wife-like. Edward shuddered, and got those out of the way as fast as he could.

Upon returning to the room, he saw a small glimmer in the corner. Bending over to pick it up, Ed realized it was a watch. Immediately, he went over to the nightstand, opening the drawer to put the watch inside…

Only to realize something was already occupying the space.

Edward was fairly calm; the little bottle looked innocent enough. Even so, the blonde was a curious person, and he picked it up to see what it was.

Lube.

Wait, what?

What the hell did Roy need lube for? It was similar to the variety Ed used on his automail leg on occasion. But Roy didn't have any automail. Edward opened the bottle. It was almost empty…come to think of it, the label looked a little worn, and the bottle wasn't dusty. Whatever the General was using it for, he had been using it often; the lube hadn't been sitting in this drawer for long.

Realization struck Ed like a lightning bolt. He had heard about this on his travels, but he had never really thought about it.

Edward hurriedly placed the bottle back. He _did not_ want to think about how many guys it had been in contact with. He _really_ didn't want to think about whether Roy was top or bottom, using it himself or on someone else.

It was hard enough believing his roommate—Roy fucking _Mustang_—was gay.


	5. Chapter 5

Edward agonized for a while over whether he should tell Roy what he had found, that he knew he was gay. In the end, he decided to do so. It wasn't that he was bothered by the fact-actually, Ed surprised himself by being okay with it. Sure, it was a shock to realize that such a famous womanizer was into guys, but it wasn't as though he was scared of Roy, or disgusted by him. Edward was just curious; how long had he been gay, how did he figure that out if he was always with women...how did he feel about Ed?

That was the real question. While the blonde wasn't upset by his discovery-after getting over the initial disbelief-he did have a burning desire to know if Roy's attraction to men extended to himself. Edward had no idea what he would do if his roommate _was_ attracted to him...but he would deal with that if and when the situation arose.

Just then, he heard a key in the door. Roy. Shit.

"I'm back," the General called out, kicking off his boots. Edward let out a moderately hysterical giggle; the action was so domestic.

"Roy." Ed let his voice carry out to the entryway. "I, uh, need to talk to you..."

If Roy was confused, he didn't show it. The man simply sat down in a chair across from Edward and asked, "What's up?"

Now that the moment had come, Ed felt incredibly awkward. But he wasn't backing out from this. "I was cleaning your room today…and I opened the drawer on the nightstand to put a watch in there…and, uhm, I found…something."

Roy considered this for a moment before understanding crept across his features. "Oh! You found my lube?"

Edward hadn't expected his roommate to admit to this so easily. "Yeah…"

"Well, then, I guess the secret's out. I'm gay."

The blonde could only nod at such a confident confession.

Roy paused, uncomprehending. "Does it bother you?"

"No." This was the first statement Ed had been able to make decisively since the conversation began. "I mean, I don't know why, but I don't really care…I was just, I don't know, curious…I mean, how did you find out? You've always been surrounded by women."

His roommate shrugged. "I got bored of them one day, realized I wasn't enjoying it anymore. So I decided to try men."

"I see…"

"Ed," Roy said slowly, a grin forming. "Can I ask you a personal question or two?"

"Uh, sure?" Edward had no idea where this was going.

"When you first came here, I said you had 'experience' with women, but you got all flustered. Are you…a virgin?"

There was no way Ed's face could become any redder. He absolutely burned, and could not manage to form a response.

"I'll take that as a yes. Second, then…you had Winry, and I'm sure you encountered plenty of women while traveling. Did you ever _want_ them?"

Edward stared at Roy, openmouthed. Now that he thought about it, while he had _cared_ for Winry at one point, he never wanted her…_that_ way. Never wanted…anyone he saw, actually. He had assumed it was because he had more important things to worry about, when the fact crossed his mind at all.

Eventually, he shook his head. "No."

"Could it be because you are also gay?"

The blonde's first reaction was a desire to say no. He couldn't be gay. But he stopped to think. He wasn't repulsed by the idea of two men being together, as most guys seemed to be. And he could admit to himself that sometimes he saw a man and he would be struck by how…handsome they were.

"I-I don't think so…I don't know…"

Roy stood and sat beside Edward on the couch, before whispering, "There's a way to find out…"

Face burning once more, Ed turned to his roommate, mouth agape, to clarify what he meant…he couldn't _possibly_ be thinking what Edward thought he was thinking…

And then Roy's mouth connected with his own.

It was nothing like the blonde had expected, not that he had thought about this. But he would have figured Roy to be a harsh, controlling kisser. Instead his mouth was soft, questioning, guiding Ed but not pushing him. Almost on instinct, Edward began to kiss back, clumsily at first, but gaining in confidence.

Roy pulled Ed closer to him as the younger man responded. Not long after they broke for breath, but the General did not relinquish his hold. Instead he moved his mouth to Edward's ear, asking the stereotypical question. "Do you like that?"

Edward was more or less incoherent with confusion. Yes, he did like that. _A lot_. But he couldn't make himself say it; doing so out loud was like admitting something he didn't want to. So he turned his head, once again finding Roy's lips, and resumed kissing him.

Roy chuckled slightly at the blonde's willingness, eagerness even. Taking it a step further, he pulled Ed onto his lap, earning himself a tiny squeak of surprise. But still Edward did not pull away.

The blonde was losing his connection with reason, as Roy began to attack his neck, before pulling his shirt up and out of the way. He hadn't planned this. All he was going to do was let Roy know _he_ knew he was gay! But now…he seriously doubted his own sexuality at this point. And it felt _so damn good._

Roy ceased his ministrations in order to remove his own shirt. The words came pouring out of Ed in a tiny whisper, over which he felt he had no control. "Fuck, Roy."

Again, the man leaned into his ear. "We can, if you want to."

At these words, an involuntary whimper escaped Edward. Taking this as the affirmative, Roy lifted him up, carrying him to his bedroom, where he promptly laid Edward down on the bed. He began to lick and nip a trail down the younger man's chest.

As Ed moaned, he realized there was no stopping what was going to happen at this point, but it didn't matter. He didn't want this to end. In fact, he wanted this to continue more than anything.


	6. Chapter 6

The first thing Ed noticed when he woke up the next morning was the soreness in his lower half. He had expected it, after last night, but it still hurt.

Edward was, of course, still in Roy's bed, having passed out after the previous night's activities. Roy, however, was missing.

"Shit." Ed muttered, sitting up and then wincing. Now, with a clear head, the blonde thought about what had happened. What had he been thinking? Even if Roy was gay, he was still famous for his one night stands. How was Edward supposed to live with a man who had fucked him, but likely never would again?

That thought brought Ed up short. Did he want that again? In a way, yes; he had never felt anything as amazing as that. But neither did he want to be Roy's toy; his roommate didn't feel anything for the people he was with in that manner. It wasn't that Edward wanted Roy to feel something for him…but suddenly he found himself having slight regrets over giving his virginity away to a one night stand.

Ed shook himself. It was too late to change things now. He would just have to get over it. The blonde rose, limping across the floor to try to minimize the lingering pain as he collected his clothes and made his way across the hall to get some clean ones.

After that he would have to go out to breakfast. _Fuck,_ Ed thought, _what am I supposed to say to him?_

* * *

Roy, sitting in the kitchen, heard the creaking floorboards and realized Edward had woken up. He felt a twinge of guilt—it was a little rude to leave him alone like that after their closeness last night. But Roy had to get away from the blonde for a while; he too was confused.

Since discovering his preference for men, Roy had been with plenty of them. Yet somehow, Edward had unquestionably been the best, out of every man—or even woman—that he had ever taken. It wasn't his skill. While the blonde had fared better than some virgins, the fact is that he had no idea what he was doing. Roy had done most of the work the previous night, but he didn't mind.

Everything about the younger man aroused him to no end. His expressions, the noises he made, the way his hair had fanned out on the pillow…Yet none of this struck Roy as the factor that had made Edward so great to be with.

Moreover, Roy couldn't imagine himself with anyone else now. It seemed absurd, but the only desire he felt was to fuck Ed again. And again. The thought of walking down the street looking for another partner was unappealing.

In the middle of his musings, Roy heard Edward's door close. That meant he was coming into the kitchen for breakfast. Now another problem was presented; what was he supposed to say to the blonde? Usually he never saw the men he was with again, but he was living with Ed. And Roy wouldn't kick his roommate out.

He thought hard. What would be the best thing to do to prevent any awkwardness between them? And then…Edward had given Roy his virginity. What could he say that would keep the younger man from feeling used? That was the last thing Roy wanted.

* * *

Ed entered the room, tentatively, with a blush and a small, "Hi." He really didn't know what else to do.

After a pause, Roy sighed and spoke. "Sit down, Ed, we need to talk."

Edward did as he was bid, sitting at the small table with the posture of one who was awaiting punishment.

"I don't know how you feel about last night. If you regret it, I'm truly sorry. I was not trying to take advantage of you." Roy felt it was best to get this bit out of the way first.

The blonde shuffled uncomfortably. "'S'alright," he murmured. "I'm not offended. One night stands are what you do. If I didn't want it, I could have said no."

This was a more pessimistic view than Roy had hoped for, but he couldn't change how Ed felt about what had occurred. All he could do was make sure he was fine staying here in the future…"Regardless, I shouldn't have pressed you like that. I knew you had never done anything like that before, but I pushed you through it."

"No." Edward was not about to let Roy be all guilt-ridden. "I really don't regret what happened. It felt…" he paused, blushing. "It felt like heaven, and that's coming from an athiest. I'm not upset. Sure, I feel kinda sleazy giving myself away like that, knowing it didn't mean anything, but that's my problem. I know and knew how you roll. I wasn't expecting anything more. You don't have to be sorry."

"If it would make you more comfortable, we can pretend it never happened." Roy suggested. "I don't want you to move out on my account; everyone loves you here. We can just be normal roommates again."

Ed felt a surprising pang at the thought that Roy could just forget about it, when last night had been so special to him, regardless of the ramifications. But he knew this would be for the best. "Yeah, that sounds…good."

Roy was relieved. He really had been terrified that the blonde was going to seek other housing; he rather enjoyed Edward's company, even when it wasn't intimate. "Excellent."

He stood. "Well," he said, clapping Ed on the shoulder. "I have to get to work, and I know you have to follow suit. I'll see you when I get back home."

Roy walked out the door, after waiting a moment and receiving no answer from the younger man.

Long after Roy was gone, Ed whispered his reply. "Goodbye."

He regretted the parting words, though no one else was there to hear them. It felt as though they were a permanent farewell to something important, something Edward was missing, rather than an acknowledgement of the temporary absence of a roommate.


	7. Chapter 7

It had been a month since Roy had been with Ed. Things had gotten less awkward between them, a fact for which Roy was grateful. He would even say they had been able to attain the particular closeness that comes from living with someone once more. But Roy was…uneasy.

It had been a month since Roy had been with Ed, but it had also been a month since Roy had been with _anybody_.

It wasn't that he didn't try. More than once he had walked around, entered bars and clubs, done everything he could to find a partner for the night. But Roy couldn't do it. No one seemed quite attractive enough to him, or if they were, they were too boring. He ended up comparing every prospective partner to Edward.

Even stranger, Roy had been feeling odd towards Ed since that day. It wasn't the sex; he was used to that, and didn't really find it too awkward. The General found himself worrying over Edward, his feelings and the scrapes he sometimes came home with from a fight that broke out with the Ishbalans (which happened only rarely, but rather disheartened Roy). He wanted to be not only polite to Ed, but downright _nice_, overly so. Roy still teased him, but never to the point where the blonde went from irritation to anger. He felt as though every waking thought was about Ed, at the very least in a roundabout way.

Roy wanted to say he had no idea what these feelings were, but he would be lying to himself. He had seen enough women act the same way towards him to know what was happening.

Still, it was hard to believe one night in bed could make him fall _in love_ with Edward Elric.

Regardless of the absurdity of the situation, Roy was always one for action. And so he set about making Edward love him _back_.

* * *

"'m back," Ed called, half-mumbling his words. He started to take his boots off, when Roy came into the entryway and stopped him.

"No need for that. We're going out to eat tonight."

"Oh…kay?"

Roy was not encouraged by Edward's unenthusiastic response. "Unless you'd rather eat here…"

"No, no I want to go, I was just surprised. You—we—haven't eaten out since I got here…" Ed trailed off, still confused.

"Well, let's go then." Roy led the way out the door, with Edward turning and following the way he had just come.

They didn't walk for long, but it was a pleasant trip. The light was just fading, so the sky was a myriad of colors. Edward couldn't help but stare as they walked, and as such, he didn't notice where Roy was leading him until after they had arrived.

"N-no way!" The blonde couldn't stop the words from tumbling to his mouth, even as he froze in place.

His roommate turned to him. "What?"

"This place is…expensive." Ed didn't understand. Roy was notorious for two things; being a womanizer (or rather, being with men all the time now, as Edward reminded himself with a small blush) and being cheap.

Roy sighed good-naturedly. "Look, Ed, I feel like being generous tonight. That's a rarity, so I suggest taking advantage of it while you can."

Muttering something about how Roy had lost his mind, Edward entered the door that his roommate held open.

Once inside, they were seated right away, and Ed found himself only growing more nervous. "Roy," he hissed, once the waiter had left. "We are the only two people here who aren't…you know, _together_. Look, everyone else is on a date."

Roy smirked, looking around surreptitiously. It looked like the restaurant was living up to its reputation as the hot spot for couples. "It would seem so." He took a moment to enjoy the red tint that was creeping onto the blonde's face. "Come one, Ed. You've been though worse situations that this. Surely you aren't _that_ embarrassed."

Edward _was_ that embarrassed. He knew everyone else was probably thinking they were together—especially judging from the strange looks some of the people were giving Roy, no doubt they knew he was supposed to love women—and he couldn't stop little flashes of memory from _that night_ from creeping up. Still, no way was the blonde going to let Roy know how uncomfortable he was. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just thought it was weird, but whatever."

Ed ordered the cheapest thing on the menu, some vegetarian dish, figuring his roommate would regret this later. Roy only grinned and ordered him a side dish that he had never heard of, but was delicious when he tried it. Roy seemed to be enjoying his lack of knowledge and discomfort immensely, or maybe it was just the food.

In any case, it was late when they arrived back at the house. Edward was contemplating heading to bed, when Roy again stopped him in his tracks. "Come on; don't be so eager to get away from me. Want a drink?"

Ed was really beginning to think tonight was just a dream. Roy was acting _too_ weird. Still…his roommate _never_ let him get at the alcohol; he said the blonde was likely to blow something up while inebriated. He accepted hesitantly, snorting at the miniature glass Roy handed him, and sat on the couch.

Roy started to talk. It seemed he went on for forever, but Edward wasn't really paying attention. He reached up to re-tie his hair, pulling the string out when…

"Hey, Ed, I've been wondering. Why'd you stop wearing your hair in a braid?"

Edward was confused by the question, pausing with his hands by his shoulders. "I dunno, it just happened I guess. Braiding it took so much longer, and I thought maybe just pulling it back would be more mature, maybe…" he trailed off. He had never really thought about why he had stopped braiding his hair.

Roy tilted his head and smiled. "I don't know about mature, but I like it better in the braid."

The blonde hesitated, before sighing and braiding his hair with surprising speed for someone complaining about how long it took. "Like that?"

"Yeah," Roy's grin was more sincere than any Ed had seen. "Just like that."

* * *

Not long after, Edward went off to bed. The next morning, he came into the kitchen with his hair once again in a braid. Ed toyed with it constantly, maybe a little self conscious, but left it plaited.

In that moment, Roy knew he could win his roommate's heart.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ed! Hey, Ed!"

Edward was startled to hear a woman's voice calling him. He looked around, and spotted Riza making her way towards him from across the square.

"May I?" she asked upon reaching him. Ed was sitting at a small, shaded table outside his favorite café. He gestured for the Lieutenant to sit.

"What brings you here?" Edward had never seen Riza at the café, though he had been eating lunch there frequently—almost every day—for the past several weeks.

Riza shrugged. "I can only handle so many lunches with the rest of the team, you know? They can get pretty rowdy. I saw you over here and thought I'd stop by and say hello."

Ed smiled. "I also wanted to ask you," Riza continued. "Have you noticed anything…different about Roy?"

_Besides the fact that he's now into fucking guys and spending his money?_ "Like what?"

"Well, it's hard to explain…I mean, he is as eager as ever to get off work and get away from his paperwork, but it seems like he has more…purpose. Instead of just wanting to laze around, he seems genuinely excited to head home. I was wondering why…"

Forehead scrunching in thought, Edward considered her words. It would make sense for him to be happy to get home and go out and be with guys, but…now that he thought about it, he hadn't heard Roy leaving the house in _forever_, and the man was always home on time. What would he have to be excited about?

"And another thing…" Riza went on, oblivious to the blonde's confusion. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but he doesn't seem to be interested in women anymore. He doesn't flirt with me or any of the other female officers, and Havoc has been able to get a date recently without Roy stealing his woman…"

Ed was stunned at the Lieutenant's powers of observation. He deliberated for a moment whether he should tell her about Roy. On the one hand, it wasn't necessarily his place to do so, but on the other hand Riza was a close friend to the General and probably deserved the truth.

It wasn't like she would go around spreading the secret anyway. For that matter, he didn't know that Roy cared if people knew.

"About that…listen, Lieutenant—"

"Riza, please." She smiled.

"—Riza, you can't tell anyone, and I probably shouldn't tell you, but Roy is…gay. He only recently realized."

The woman across from him was far less shocked than she should have been, merely looking skyward in thought. "Hmm, well, I had considered the possibility."

Edward found himself laughing. "Well, I suppose the name Hawkeye really does fit you! You don't miss a thing!"

Indeed, Riza didn't miss _anything_. "So," she asked slyly, "how exactly did _you _figure his secret out, Ed?"

The blonde immediately blushed to his roots. "I, uh…found his lube…"

It wasn't hard for the Lieutenant to discern that there was more to the story than something so trivial. It was practically written on Edward's face. Perhaps she had stumbled upon the reason Roy was so eager to leave work each day…

A new voice interrupted her musings. "Brother!"

Edward's eyes widened in recognition. It couldn't be—

Alphonse tackled his older brother in a hug. "It's been so long, Brother! It's good to see you're still in one piece!"

Riza laughed, "I'll leave you two to your reunion then," before waving and walking off, contemplating her theory.

"A-Al!?"

Releasing his brother, Al beamed. "Yup! All the way from Xing!"

Finally getting over his shock, Edward grinned back. "Awesome! But what in the world are you doing back in Amestris?"

"General Mustang—Roy—wrote to me, asked me to come visit." Al's face fell slightly. "He told me what happened with Winry…I can't believe she would do that to you, Brother."

Edward waved him off. "Trust me, I'm _way_ past over that."

"Good to know you heal so easily," Alphonse rolled his eyes.

"Sarcasm noted, Al."

"Anyway. I can' believe you're living with him now!" Edward did not approve of the mischievous glint in his little brother's eyes.

"Aw, Al, it's not a big deal. We're just roommates…"

"Darn. And here I thought you two were fuck buddies."

"ALPHONSE—!"

Al laughed heartily at his older brother's face, a furious, fiery shade. "You wouldn't get that red if it weren't true, Brother! Tell me!"

"Only back for five minutes and you're already messing me up. That has to be a record. When did you get so nosy?" Ed muttered.

Tired of standing, Alphonse took Riza's recently vacated seat. "Come on, Brother, you know you want to tell me."

"I swear, you're more eager for a good story than any old woman, Al. It wasn't anything big. It only happened _once_, for crying out loud…It just turns out Roy is into guys, and he came onto me and…it just happened. It was a one night stand. It's been forever. We don't even mention it." Edward gave this little speech staring at the table.

"Do I detect a hint of bitterness, Brother? You enjoyed it, didn't you?" Al was breathless with excitement. "You wish it wasn't only once!"

"Stop it, Al! Actually, I don't. It was his idea to just forget about it...it was my first time, and it didn't mean anything to him. No matter _how_ it felt—and I am _not_ discussing that with you—I don't want to make something so special so meaningless again."

Alphonse considered for a moment. "Have you considered, Brother, that maybe he just wanted to keep you from feeling awkward? Maybe it meant more than you think."

Edward's whisper carried just a hint of pain. "I doubt that, Al."

"You love him, don't you Brother?"

Ed's head shot up fast enough to give him whiplash. "Wh-what are you talking about!?" he spluttered.

Again, Al laughed. "You do. You might not realize it, but you do." Before Edward could protest, his brother rose from the table. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find a hotel, and you have to get back to work. Don't be a slacker, Brother!"

He started to leave, Edward still gaping behind him. "Oh, and Brother? Nice braid."


	9. Chapter 9

Edward was rather distracted on his way home that night. For once, he had found himself working late, and he was painfully aware that he would arrive home after Roy. Ed _really_ did not want to face his roommate before he could compose himself.

Al's words that afternoon had left him shaken up. He may be Edward's _little_ brother, but he had always been so knowledgeable and much more wise than his years should allow. For him to deduce with such certainty that Ed was _in love_ with Roy was terrifying simply because of the possibility of him being right. Al seemed to always be right.

Ed tugged at his braid. Roy was the one who made him want to start wearing his hair this way again…why should he change for the man unless he cared about his opinion? And he couldn't deny, not to himself, that he wanted to be with Roy again. Edward still dreamt about that night, though the details were fading from his memory. And the man had actually been _nice_ lately; strange as it was, Edward found the treatment to be a sweet gesture.

Biting his lip, Ed tested himself. _Think about Winry,_ he thought. _Did I feel more strongly towards her than I do now towards Roy?_

The answer was that he felt _much_ more attached to Roy. He felt no desire to leave and begin his travels again. Edward really did enjoy the man's company, enough to not move out after their night together. If anything, the experience only made him want to be closer to Roy. Even with much weaker feelings, he had thought himself to be in love with Winry, so…

Could he really be in love with his roommate?

He was around the corner from home; it was time to stop thinking about this and calm the hell down.

The blonde walked inside the apartment cautiously, arranging his features into careful indifference. "Back!" he called out, happy to hear that his voice betrayed none of his inner turmoil.

"Dinner's almost ready, Ed!"

Edward walked into the dining room/kitchen combo, sitting at the table.

"So," Roy began, even as he stirred a pot of something that smelled delicious. "I heard Alphonse got here today! I was worried, I thought he might have not gotten my letter."

This was not what Ed wanted to be talking about right now, but Roy's words had triggered a question. "That reminds me, why did you ask him here anyway? Not that I'm mad, I was just wondering…"

To his surprise, Roy laughed. "Well, I thought it would be nice for you to see Al again! I didn't have a particular reason…"

Maybe it was just the effects of the earlier conversation clouding his mind, but this simple, unnecessary kindness made Edward's heart jump.

"Well…thank you."

"No thanks necessary." His roommate spun around, placing a bowl in front of Ed. "It's just soup, but hopefully it tastes good."

It was Edward's turn to chuckle. "Stop worrying about your cooking; I've been here for what, over two months? And I haven't had to complain yet."

Roy beamed.

* * *

"Ed! Ed wake up!"

Edward shot up in bed, disoriented. Then he frowned. "…Roy? What're you doing in my room?"

"You were screaming for me, Ed." Now that he was sure the blonde was okay, Roy was faintly amused.

"I…was?" In a flash, Edward remembered _exactly _what he had been dreaming about. He flushed, a furious rise of color.

"Oh, my," Roy couldn't help but smirk at the befuddled blonde. "You weren't having _nightmares_, were you?"

Ed found he couldn't respond, embarrassed beyond belief. To be caught having _that_ kind of dream…it would seem his earlier musings had evoked rather _strong_ subconscious emotions.

Roy leaned over his roommate, his lips dangerously close to Edward's own. "I _want_ you, Ed…" he breathed.

Their lips met.

Immediately, Edward was filled with desire. The need to be close to Roy, only Roy, to be held by him and be filled with him…to be loved. He had not been able to name this fierce want before, associating it only with lust, but now…how could he have missed it? _Of course_ he craved love.

Because he loved the man who was currently seducing him.

Smiling at the blonde's eagerness, Roy moved his mouth down to the blonde's neck, remembering how sensitive the spot had been last time.

"O-Oh! Roy…wait!"

The man paused, shocked to hear that particular command. He looked at Edward, who, despite asking him to stop, looked needy.

"I…" Ed's voice was shaky as he whispered, "I don't want to do this. Not again. Not if it doesn't mean anything."

Roy laughed, relieved. He sat up straight, cradling Edward's face in his hands before kissing him again, but softer this time. "Ed, it means _everything_."

Worries more or less assuaged (and any remaining doubt pushed aside by lust), Edward allowed Roy to pull him close, the two locked in a simple embrace for several heartbeats.

Then, of course, Roy continued.


	10. Chapter 10--End

Edward, half asleep, fought to keep himself from waking up. He was aware enough to know that he had been with Roy _again_, and he didn't want to wake up alone in his roommate's room once more. He didn't want that dejection of knowing he had given himself away, especially with his revelation of last night: that he _loved_ Roy.

No, Edward couldn't face an empty, uncaring bed after that.

But sleep is not something many people can control, and the blonde found himself losing the battle. Knowing this, Ed figured he might as well get it over with.

He opened his eyes.

Edward was facing a window, curtains drawn. His still-naked body was warm, a blanket draped over him—along with an arm.

Ed, disbelieving, slowly turned over to find his face flush with Roy's chest. His gaze traveled upward to see that the man was still sleeping, his breaths disturbing the hair on Edward's head.

_He had stayed_.

Gloriously overjoyed, the blonde snuggled closer to his roommate. He tried to reign in his emotions; he couldn't expect much, even if Roy was here when he woke up. It didn't mean anything.

Edward dozed once more, content for the moment to pretend, but jerked awake when he felt Roy moving next to him. He shut his eyes as he heard a yawn, but his heart was beating too fast, giving him away.

"Morning, Ed. Come on, you can't fool me…" Roy's voice was rough with sleep, but not at all unpleasant. Obliging, Edward opened his eyes and looked into the smiling face of his roommate.

"Hi," he whispered.

Roy frowned. "What's wrong?" Before Ed could say it was nothing, he continued. "I can tell something's bothering you."

"I…we shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?"

The blonde felt a strange wetness on his face. He was crying? "I didn't want to do that again…not when it—"

"Didn't mean anything?" Roy guessed, a response to which Edward nodded miserably, averting his eyes. "But Ed, I already told you last night. It meant _everything_."

Stubborn to a fault, Ed refused to look Roy in the eye, until his roommate sat half way up and pulled his chin so that Edward was looking at him.

"You haven't guessed it yet, have you, Ed?"

Confused, the blonde shook his head.

"I thought it would be obvious." Roy smiled, a simple, bright motion. "I'm in love with you, Ed. _That's_ why it meant everything."

Edward was silent, disbelief written all over his face. Roy tried to explain. "The first time we were together, it felt…different. I didn't know what it was that made me crave you again, but I _did_. I had no interest in anyone else, Ed. Surely you've noticed that I've been in the house more often lately? You're the only person I've been with since the first time."

His roommate's words didn't make any sense, but Ed could tell Roy was telling the truth. Like he said, he _hadn't _been going out…

"Then I started feeling different towards you. I kept trying to do little things to make you happy, like bringing Al here…and I realized it was all because I loved you. I set up our little date night to see how you would react, try to guess how you felt…and when you put your hair in this braid—" Roy tugged on the few strands of his hair that were still tied back "—I knew I had a chance."

Not knowing how to express himself, Edward pushed himself up, kissing Roy full on the mouth, lips curving in a smile. When they broke apart, he found himself laughing. "I can't believe you didn't just tell me! I didn't even know why I was so upset the first time, and I only realized it last night—I wanted to be more to you than a sex toy, because I loved you too."

Laughing himself, Roy rolled, pinning Ed to the bed and kissing him frantically. Neither man could stop smiling, both of them ecstatic to realize what they had found.

Finally Roy slowed his attack, breathless. "I love you." Kiss.

"Love you too, Roy." Kiss.

"I'll never leave you." Kiss.

"As if I'd give you the chance." Kiss.

Then silence as both caught their breath. After a moment, Roy smiled. "We need showers. I'll go start one up, if you want to join me?"

Edward nodded, his grin refusing to fade even once his roommate—his lover—left the bed and headed for the bathroom.

As happened every so often, Ed found his thoughts turning to alchemy, the art he had lost. Love was a lot like alchemy, he decided. You have to lose—decompose—some things, and understand what has happened and what you want to happen before you can get to the end, and reconstruct something better.

And when you did, well, it was the best feeling in the world.


	11. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

**First I have to say thanks for all of the reviews. Having a review pop up in my inbox was always a great feeling and kept me motivated. :)**

**So, a bit of an explanation. My goal in writing this was (obviously) to continue Fullmetall Alchemist: Brotherhood. I've never been a fan of EdxWinry, but I didn't want to act like the series hadn't ended with them together. And so this was born.**

**As for the name, it is the phrase commonly repeated in the anime for the steps to alchemy. I just happened to think about how love could follow the same path, and thus the ending was born. I actually wrote the ending first, and then came back at this story from the beginning.**

**Hopefully you all found it at least somewhat realistic. I've gotten attached and I'm almost sad to see it end, but I like how it turned out. :)**

**Keep checking back for more Roy x Ed stories~**


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